The subject invention relates to protective facemask for horses, which includes a panel of an open mesh material and an elastic headstall and an elastic throatlatch. The elastic headstall and elastic throatlatch of the protective facemask of the subject invention do not include any fasteners that must be actuated to secure the protective facemask to a horse or remove the protective facemask from a horse. The protective facemask of the subject invention: is protective of the horse's face, is very easy to put on and take off a horse with very little disturbance of the horse, stays securely on the horse's head when being worn, has a tear away feature to free a horse should the facemask become caught on something, is decorative and distinctive, is durable, and is relatively inexpensive to produce.
Current protective facemasks typically use fasteners, such as Velcro® fasteners, that must be actuated (opened and/or closed) to secure the facemasks to or remove the facemasks from a horse's head or to secure the facemasks to or detach the facemasks from separate halters or bridles that retain the facemasks on a horse's head. When Velcro® fasteners and other fasteners such as snaps, buttons, hooks, etc. are used to secure these facemasks to a horse's head, the horses can rub these fasteners against fence posts and other objects which loosen or actuate the fasteners and permit the facemasks to fall off. When using Velcro® fastener(s) on a facemask, it is very easy for a horse to remove such a facemask from another horse by simply grabbing a Velcro® fastener of the facemask in its teeth and pulling the facemask off. Additionally, Velcro® fasteners can become contaminated or clogged with debris which greatly reduces their effectiveness as a fastener. Thus, there has continued to be need for a protective facemask for a horse that is very easy to put on and take off a horse without disturbing the horse, stays securely on the horse's head when being worn, has a tear away feature to free a horse should the facemask become caught on something, is decorative and distinctive, is durable, and is relatively inexpensive to produce. The protective facemask of the subject invention, which uses an elastic headstall and an elastic throatlatch without fasteners, fulfills the need to provide such an improved protective facemask.